NEW YORK – The Manhattanville College women's volleyball team picked up yet another three-set victory Thursday night, Sept. 19, on the road at Baruch College. The Valiants have now won four straight matches.
 
The Crimson and White (6-4) and the Bearcats (6-2) played closely all night long, despite the 3-0 sweep, as each set was very tight. Manhattanville had the advantage in each, though, 25-21, 25-23, 25-21. The first started well for the Valiants as they jumped out to a 14-7 lead. However, Baruch went on an 8-1 run to tie it at 15-15. From that point, Manhattanville was able to take six of the next seven points and maintained that lead to take the first set.
 
The second set was even closer, with the Valiants winning by only two points. In fact, Manhattanville trailed by as many as five points when Baruch held a 17-12 lead. The Crimson and White took 13 of the remaining 19 points to jump ahead 2-0 in the match. The third and final set was back and forth until the final third of the game when the Valiants, tied at 17-17, won nine of the last 13 points to take the match.
 
Individually, rookie setter Vianca Vital (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Perpetuo Socorro) resumed her double-double ways with a match-best 37 assists and a team-high 17 digs, adding two aces as well. Outside hitters senior Austen Brauer (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) and sophomore Alejandra Figueroa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Rosa-Bell) were key offensively, the former leading all players with 19 kills on an efficient 44 swings (.364 hitting percentage) to go with five digs, while the latter notching 12 kills on 36 swings to go with nine digs.
 
The squad will take a couple days off before returning to the court for a pair of matches away from home this Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22. The Valiants will head to Marywood University for a tri-match in Scranton, Pa., and face Cedar Crest College at 1:00 p.m., followed by the hosting Pacers at 3:00 p.m.